I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 271

"Hhghak!"

Even though it was Soyeong, it had been a while, so I was actually a little happy to see her.

"Gek-geek."

"Ugh... This shouldn’t have happened...."

Watching her rub the bump on her forehead, I finally felt like I was home.

Maybe I was starting to understand why the previous Gomodo kept the Tang Clan close.

They had perfectly smackable foreheads for tail-slaps.

...But why the hell did she suddenly try that hypnosis stunt?

Was she really trying to put me under a spell?

She usually just lazed around, but now that I was back, she suddenly showed her true colors...

Had Tang Muyeong taught her something while I was gone?

I stared at her suspiciously, and after a moment, she fidgeted, pressing her index fingers together.

"Hehe... Actually, my brother told me to do whatever it takes to claim Ko Dae-hyup."

To claim me?

What the hell does that mean?

"He said that if I’m going to serve you as part of the Tang Clan, I at least need to be able to touch your scales."

Huh.

Yeah, I guess Tang Muyeong wouldn’t have intentionally taught her hypnosis for any sinister reason.

It seemed like he just misunderstood something and made her do something weird.

"But! Who am I? I’m Tang Soyeong! I already plucked off one of Ko Dae-hyup’s scales!"

...Wait, what?

I what now?

"Gek?"

When did you pull off one of my scales?!

"But my brother actually doubted it! He said I probably just found one that had fallen off!"

Oh, so that’s why it’s been getting colder lately...

You were the culprit.

I pressed my chin against the top of her head.

Squish.

"Kyaaaa!"

As I properly punished Tang Soyeong, a question popped into my mind.

I already knew she was a ruthless little gremlin, but how had she even managed to pluck one of my scales?

There was no way a second-rate martial artist should’ve been able to do that.

"T-That’s a secret!"

"Geg-gegegek."

You sure you don’t want to talk?

Opens mouth.

"I-I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you! J-Just don’t bite me! Aah!"

Too late.

"Mmph! Mmmph!"

I shoved her into my mouth for a second before spitting her back out.

"Ugh... so wet...."

Now she was completely drenched in my saliva.

"Chirorong... Chirp... Chirp?"

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From a distance, I heard Chirp-Chirp mumbling in her sleep.

Was she having a nightmare? Her wings fluttered like she was feeling uneasy.

...Wait, was it because she saw Soyeong go into my mouth?

Considering Chirp-Chirp’s first interaction with me was also inside my mouth, she probably thought this was her signature move.

Like some kind of weird rivalry between an alligator and a plover bird.

But unlike before, there was no way I could fit Chirp-Chirp in my mouth now.

She had grown—bigger than Soyeong’s head, even.

I couldn’t just shove her in there anymore.

And I definitely wasn’t going to enlarge myself just to eat her.

Besides, if I did that, I had a feeling some giant bird lurking nearby would swoop down to punish me.

Storms would brew, and I’d get some long, fatherly lecture about a parent’s love or whatever.

"Ugh... I really shouldn’t be saying this...."

Soyeong hesitated, glancing around.

That was basically her way of asking me to consider letting her off the hook.

But everyone was busy training—no one else had come to greet me.

She realized that aside from the Bicorns perking their ears, there weren’t any prying eyes, so she finally nodded.

"S-So... sometimes, you fall asleep first, right?"

When I fall asleep first?

"Like... when there’s a banquet, and you drink? That’s when your followers start exchanging glances...."

I asked how she took my scale, and now we’re randomly talking about banquets?

...Still, it was kind of interesting.

I could learn about my followers’ behavior from a different perspective.

Alright, I’ll listen.

"That’s when it begins. They pour more into your cup... while secretly dumping their own drinks on the ground."

"Gekek!"

I couldn’t stay quiet at that.

They wasted good alcohol?!

I never forced them to drink, so why the hell did they do that?!

Why keep refilling my cup but refuse to drink themselves—

...Wait.

I drank everything, but they only pretended to drink?

That’s why they always seemed to handle their liquor so well...

They never drank in the first place!

"And then, when you pass out... they all gather around you, eyes gleaming."

"Geeeek?!"

I was slowly uncovering a horrifying truth about this world.

They made sure I passed out, then what did they do?

"That’s when they start... nibbling, sucking, tasting— Ah, metaphorically speaking!"

...It was metaphorical, right?

"Mmm... But I didn’t really do anything! ...Probably?"

What do you mean "probably"?!

So the others did something, then?!

"Ehh, but they didn’t cross the line! They wanted to do more, but you know that necklace you wear? They said it was in the way."

I grabbed my necklace tightly.

Thank you.

If it weren’t for you, I’d be a dried-up husk of a lizard by now.

"But they didn’t give up. They tried plucking one of your scales instead. Especially the Snake Queen—she was obsessed with your lower body."

...Fasir, even you?!

Wait, why am I surprised?

If anything, she was the most likely culprit from the start.

"Geeeeeeeeek...."

So, the scale Soyeong got was one that the other followers had tried to pluck off me?

From my lower body, no less?

It was so densely packed that I hadn’t noticed, but now that I thought about it, something about this felt... off.

"Ko Dae-hyup’s precious scale shouldn’t be left on the ground, right? I picked it up quickly. And of course, I had to make sure there was no evidence...."

...Was this my fault for not properly educating my followers?

No.

What the hell did I do to deserve them pulling some vile stunt like this while I was passed out drunk?!

And not a single one of them protected me.

Pus, Tus, even Nephila...

They were all in on it.

No—if anything, I could already picture how excited they must’ve been.

Pus probably shoved my tail into her mouth, and Tus pressed her hands all over my back.

And Nephila...

...Please, please don’t tell me she got hungry.

I always heard that you couldn’t trust anyone, and now I knew what that meant.

"Ahem, I’m not sure, but everyone said it was your fault, Ko Dae-hyup."

"Gek?"

The sheer audacity of these bastards.

"Especially Baekrang and the Snake Queen? That white wolf kept complaining that you bite but won’t mount, and the Snake Queen was upset that you wouldn’t give her at least a month of your time."

...The Snake Queen, sure. That tracks.

But Baekrang too?!

That was actually surprising.

Was this what they called "girl talk"?

But what the hell did biting have to do with anything?

I’d only nibbled a bit when we slept together because my mouth needed something to do.

"You’re the one who started it! You kept biting...!"

Yeah.

I’d be sleeping alone for a while.

For punishment, yes. But also to protect myself.

...Then again, wouldn’t I get cold?

As I absentmindedly examined my lower-body scales, wondering how to deal with my problematic followers, someone else appeared.

"Ah, Ko Dae-hyup. Have you been well since we last met?"

It was Tang Muyeong, the guy who had taught Soyeong hypnosis.

Still here, huh?

"Gek-geek."

...And what the hell did you teach Soyeong?

"Haha, I merely passed down a few Tang Clan techniques to be of some use to Ko Dae-hyup. Also, I thought it was only proper to personally bid you farewell before leaving."

...Well, at least he was more civilized than Soyeong.

But why did it have to be hypnosis of all things?

"I’ve taught her the theoretical aspects of all the Tang Clan’s techniques designed for serving Ko Dae-hyup. Though still weak, Soyeong will undoubtedly be of great assistance."

...Hold on.

Tang Clan specifically developed techniques to serve Gomodo, and one of those techniques was hypnosis?

That was a little terrifying.

"...By the way, Daejongsa, may I ask about the venomous creatures following you?"

Tang Muyeong stared at my venomous minions with obvious interest.

As the Young Lord of the Tang Clan, an expert in poisons, his curiosity made sense.

"Gek-geek."

They’re the new recruits I picked up.

"Incredible! As expected of Daejongsa! Every single one of these venomous creatures...! Slurp... Huff...!"

...Huh?

Muyeong’s expression shifted into something unsettling.

This was the same man who, despite Soyeong’s antics, had restored the Tang Clan’s reputation.

Unlike his sister, he had a calm and composed demeanor.

He was knowledgeable, skilled, and someone I wouldn’t mind having as an ally.

He had even convinced me that Soyeong was the oddball of the Tang Clan, rather than a representative sample.

But now...

Now he had the same bizarre expression as his sister.

"Black Armor Mantis...! Huff... Those magnificent scythes... Hhhhhh...."

Was that... the Bicorns’ laugh he just made?!

"And the Thunder Millipede...! To think a millipede could grow this large! If this isn’t a spirit beast, what is?! And look at that glossy, plated armor...!"

Tang Muyeong was drooling over the millipede now.

"And the Stone Cave Weavers and the Venomous Locusts...!"

Black Armor Mantis—that must be the mantis.

Thunder Millipede—that was the giant millipede.

Stone Cave Weavers—probably the spiders.

Venomous Locusts—definitely the grasshoppers.

What was really terrifying, though, was how perfectly he named each one.

It was like he knew the names of 100 different locust species by heart.

His green eyes sparkled with an unnerving intensity.

"As expected... you truly are the rightful successor to Gomodo! Such venomous creatures following you...!"

Muyeong knelt, looking deeply moved.

Well, yeah.

As the Tang Clan’s Young Lord, it made sense that he was an expert on poisons.

"Huff... Those dual scythes... That exoskeleton... Hrrr...."

Okay.

No.

No, you’re NOT allowed to act like this.

"Kiik? Let go! Let go of me, you freak!"

The mantis shrieked, but thankfully, Muyeong hadn’t actually grabbed it.

"B-Brother! This lunatic— Aaargh!"

"Come here! Ah—Dae-hyup! May I examine them properly for just a moment?"

...You already pounced on the mantis.

Now you’re asking for permission?!

I stared at him for a moment, then shifted my gaze to Soyeong.

"Ahhh. I was wondering why he was being so well-behaved for once."

...Maybe Soyeong wasn’t the exception.

Maybe the entire Tang Clan was just like this.

These two weren’t just some random siblings.

They were the Tang Clan’s heir and precious youngest daughter.

Was the Tang Clan really okay like this?

...And seriously.

What kind of person was the previous Gomodo, to have willingly allied with these maniacs?